Title: Changing Priorities

Author: Unputdownable

Summery: Sam thinks about the changes in her life

Spoilers: Season 8

Disclaimer: "Stargate" and all related characters are the property of MGM Television Entertainment.

A/N: I want to thank my very helpful and patient beta Betty Bokor. You should read her wonderful Sam/Daniel stories!

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Changing Priorities

Here she was. Sitting by the pond near the General's cabin, fishing line in hand with the General sitting beside her.

There had been many changes in her life lately. Not all of them bad, but every one of them full of consequences she was only slowly working through.

After what happened on the Prometheus she was sure to be ready for a change in her life, ready for a relationship outside the limits of her working place. During her stay in the infirmary after the Prometheus incident she had lots of time to think about what to do with her life, but after so many years of leaving things 'in the room', she wasn't sure if his feelings for her hadn't changed in the meantime. And would she be able to quit her job to have a normal life with a man by her side and perhaps later a family?

Although she was risking her life on a daily basis going through the gate, it was much more difficult risking her heart. She wasn't hiding the fact from herself that she was a coward in the relationship department but she wasn't able to do something about it either. So Pete had been safe. Safe to love and try out a 'normal' life. But only on the surface, because Pete had too many expectations. He didn't see her as she really was, but rather like he wanted her to be.

Well, in hindsight, it was worth a try, although she wasn't proud of hurting Pete - and perhaps the General. If nothing else, she found out what SHE was really feeling or, rather, not feeling.

If she was honest with herself, she was always trying to do her best, but not only because she wanted to, but because others always expected her to. First her father, then Jonas, General Hammond, General O'Neill and Pete... Add to that her own ambition and it was easy to see how she ended up with this mess.

All her life she wanted to be the brave soldier. First for her father and later because it was easier than to change. And although her dad expected only the best from her all her life, at the end, he had put it into simple words, he wanted her to be happy.

Perhaps it wasn't too late for her to realize that she wanted herself to be happy, too - that she deserved to be happy. She no longer wanted to simply exist. True, her work was important. Helping to save her world was a reward in itself, but it wasn't enough any longer. Possibly now was the right time for her to realize that it wasn't too late to make her wish come true - with the right man, for a change.

Because finally -finally- she was really sure about her feelings. For the first time in her life she was honest with herself and wasn't trying to run from the truth. Things were changing, but for good. All she had to do was to tell him. If he didn't share her feelings, it would be hard for her, but it would be much harder to never know and keep on going only to find out much later. Or to find out too late that there WERE feelings on both sides and she'd never done anything about it.

So now there was only one thing left to do. And she was never more afraid of doing something as than right at this moment. But she had to try - whatever the outcome. Taking a deep breath she began: "Sir, I think we need to talk."

End